Military & Veteran Affairs

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Facilitating Veteran Employment: Strategies to Engage Veterans in Apprenticeships

November 16, 2022

By Rachel Wright and Mary Wurtz Each year, approximately 200,000 veterans transition to civilian life, but many struggle to find employment upon re-entry. Research shows that only a little more

Beyond the Ballot with Michael Winn

September 8, 2022

The Greek philosopher Aristotle said that by nature, man is a social animal. For Michael Winn, this quote has long resonated deeply with his desire to bring about positive change. While working as

Beyond the Ballot with Lynn Bailey

September 8, 2022

In 1978, Lynn Bailey had just graduated from high school when the Richmond County Board of Elections recruited her to work in the upcoming gubernatorial election. As with many high turnout elections, local offices were

The Impact of COVID-19 in State Veterans Homes

“State Veterans Homes” are facilities that offer nursing home, domiciliary and adult day care operations for approximately 33,000 veterans. There are 158 homes nationally, with at least one located in every state. These facilities are owned and operated by states but are subject to federal oversight from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Improving Ballot Processes for Overseas Citizens

As of late June 2020, the United States Postal Service (USPS) lists 103 international mail disruptions as a result of COVID-19 pandemic-related complications, with the number of disruptions and specific locations changing regularly.

Achieving Balance Between Security and Ballot Access when Serving Military and Overseas Voters

Members of The Council of State Governments (CSG) Overseas Voting Initiative (OVI) recently released a position paper titled, “Electronic Ballot Return for Military and Overseas Voters: Considerations for Achieving Balance Between Security and Ballot Access.”

The Team

Casandra Hockeberry

Project Manager

The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation

Casandra manages the Apprenticeship Data Alignment and Performance Technical Assistance Center, the Overseas Voting Initiative, and other research areas related to cybersecurity, data and privacy. As a part of her work at CSG, Casandra regularly convenes state policy makers to facilitate the exchange of innovative policies and practices. Her work focuses on improving the quality of data collection in the states to help states inform policy decisions.

Carl Sims

Deputy Program Director

The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation

Carl Sims is a Special Projects Manager at The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation. Carl oversees the work of the 2021-22 CSG Healthy States National Task Force, a multi-year project focused on the improvement of state fiscal, civic, economic and workforce and human health. Carl earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Kentucky Wesleyan College and his Master’s of Public Administration from the University of Kentucky’s Martin School.

Dexter Horne

Leadership Development Specialist

The Council of State Governments Center of Innovation

Dexter Horne is a Leadership Development Specialist at the Council of State Governments where he works to expand the personal, professional, and emotional skillsets of CSG members. In 2016, Dexter earned his bachelor’s degree in Politics from Centre College. He earned his MPA from the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration in the spring of 2018.

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